Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has expressed deep concern over the rising mental health challenges facing Nigerians, linking the crisis to worsening economic hardship, poverty, and unemployment across the country.

In a post shared on his verified 𝕏 (Twitter) handle to mark World Mental Health Day, Obi stated that the daily struggle for survival has left millions of Nigerians — particularly the youth — mentally exhausted, hopeless, and increasingly vulnerable to criminal behavior and suicide.

Citing a recent World Health Organisation (WHO) report, the former Anambra State governor revealed that an estimated 40 million Nigerians are currently living with mental health conditions, with fewer than 300 psychiatrists available to care for them nationwide.

“It is troubling to note that a nation like Nigeria has deepening mental health crises,” Obi wrote. “The WHO estimates that about 40 million people are living with mental health conditions, and there are grossly fewer doctors to attend to them. This clearly shows Nigeria’s growing disinterest and neglect of the health sector.”

He emphasized that mental health is more important than physical health, adding that the psychological toll of hunger, joblessness, and hardship has become a public health emergency.

“Nigerians are now feeling so overwhelmed by hardship that they are mentally affected. Poverty, unemployment, and the daily battle to survive have pushed many, especially the youth, into hopelessness, criminality, and an increasing rate of suicide,” Obi lamented.

He urged the government to take immediate action by:

• Investing massively in mental health infrastructure, including modern psychiatric hospitals across all geopolitical zones.
• Training and employing more mental health professionals to meet the growing national demand.
• Addressing root causes such as poverty, unemployment, and hunger to restore hope and emotional stability among citizens.

“We must build a nation that heals, uplifts, and gives every citizen a reason to live,” Obi added. “Nigeria’s progress will never be measured by the wealth of its leaders, but by the well-being of its people.”

His remarks come amid rising concerns from health experts and advocacy groups over Nigeria’s alarming rate of untreated mental illness, worsened by economic instability and limited access to quality healthcare.